Looking for ways to add multimedia to your blog, web site, class projects or teaching? Low or no budget? Here's an overview of some free and low-cost ways to jazz things up.

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Multimedia on the Cheap
Michelle Johnson
Associate Professor
Department of Journalism, Boston University
#jea13
Download this presentation here:
http://bit.ly/1j95y1L

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About Me

Professor of the
Practice, Journalism, Bo
ston University

Former Boston Globe
editor, tech columnist

Upbeat About
Online Journalism

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Today‟s Topic
Free or nearly free web-based tools
for producing multimedia for your:

Blog

Website

Class Assignments

Classroom/teaching

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Multimedia: What is It?
Combinations:
Examples:

Text

Audio Slideshows

Photos

Interactive charts, infographics

Video

Maps (plus still photos, text, animation)

Data

Image maps (rollover/pop-up layers)

Animation

Video by itself is not multimedia
or interactive!

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The Web is its Own Medium
Whenever you can:
Create “you can only do this online” content.

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Interactive Graphics

Tip:
Try not to run static graphics
online.
zzzzzzz….

Better: Interactive
Visualizations
Rollovers = Interactive

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What you Need for Multimedia:
If you can gather these assets….
• Photos, video, audio
• Data (numbers and/or text)
• Links to related information/content
You get:
Rich packages that you can embed into your story
OR even replace a (traditional) story.
Gotchas:
Some content management systems don‟t accept this embed code.
Freebie Wordpress.com – no.
Hosted Wordpress - yes

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Start Simple: Interactive Graphic

Example: Thinglink.com
Multimedia image maps: pop-up text, video, photos, links, music
Video
Embed
on your site,
story
Text
Links to
related
information
JFK Assassination Anniversary

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Interactive Data-driven Charts

Infogr.am

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Infogr.am
Charts
Maps
Text
Photos
Video

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Mashups: Infographics Plus
Not a designer? No problem!
Tools for creating infographics

Pictochart

Easel.ly
Don‟t stop there.
Make it Interactive:
1.
Create infographic,
2.
Upload to thinglink.com and tag
with photos, video, text, sound

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Real Life Example
BU News Service
Inauguration Coverage

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Timelines
Real Life Example
Boston Marathon

TimeGlider
Created with Timetoast.com
Sequence of events? Think timeline!

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Real World Example
Boston Mayoral Race

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Interactives: Mapping
Cut „n Paste
Data-driven
Maps

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Interactives: Mapping
Use Existing Resources

Example: Google Crisis Response Philippines Map

Usage: Doing a story on a local drive to raise disaster funds?
Package it with photos, video, and a map like this.

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Looking for Ideas?

Google Media Tools

Google for Media
(Follow on G+)

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Multimedia Mashups

Popcorn Maker
Real World Example: Boston Marathon

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Combine audio, text, photos, video,
links, social media

Meograph

Projeqt
Example

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Zeega
And Now for
Something
Completely Different…
Zeega

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Resources: A Sampling

Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Flickr Creative
Commons, http://www.morguefile.com/

Music: incompetech.com, freeplaymusic.com, jamendo.com

Video: http://www.videoblocks.com/

Google for more….

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Questions?

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Download This Presentation Here
http://bit.ly/1j95y1L